Pretty in Pink
by Evie Warner
Summary: It's Gary's birthday, and Ash forgot. In his panic, he ends up taking advice from a certain someone whom he learnt long ago should never be trusted. Too bad he doesn't have the time to plan anything else.


**Author's Note:** So here's an interesting fact: I found out that I can't just write lemons, I have to give it some kind of pointless plot to go on. So you can either be brave and read the whole thing, or screw it all and skip straight to the good stuff, which starts about halfway down, in case you're wondering. I mean, who am I to tell you how to read these things? You can even conclude the fic with 'And then Ash woke up', if you so wish. Damn, that would be one hell of a wet dream xD

**Disclaimer:** I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Pokémon doesn't belong to me in any shape or form. Aside from the merchandise, all of which I legally bought :D

**Dedication:** One last thing, I'm dedicating this to **Xx-Synthetic-Cyanide-xX**! This girl is amazing. Has a rather sadistic desire to torture Silver, but that's a story best left for another day.

* * *

_Pretty in Pink_

xxx

He was screwed. In all his seventeen years of life, there had not been one moment that came even close to the severity of his current predicament.

Calming the dispute between the legendary birds? That was nothing.

The time the Unown fell out of control and nearly destroyed Greenfield? Child's play.

Protecting Celebi from the Iron Masked Marauder? Saving Latias and Latios, along with the entire city of Alto Mare from destruction? He'd willingly do all that a thousand times over. Anything; he'd do _anything_ to get away from this .. this mess he'd gotten into.

He could imagine Gary's face right about now, that infuriating smirk accompanied by a teasing jibe, "You just had to leave it till the last minute, didn't you, Ashy?" And then he'd laugh, while Ash would flush a deep crimson colour.

Yeah, that sounded pretty accurate. What made it that much worse was the knowledge that, truthfully, he'd brought it all on himself. Gary did always tell him that one day this would happen, and it just so happened to be true. On today, of all days.

That particular day turned out to be a certain emerald eyed researcher's birthday. And Ash forgot. He freakin' _forgot_. Even he wasn't sure how it had happened, he knew exactly when each and every one of his friends' birthdays were, and he always made sure to get them a present they'd like, such as the silver Horsea charm bracelet for Misty, the Aron egg for Brock, a blue designer dress for Dawn .. but this one, of all the people he knew, it had to be Gary's that slipped his mind. He'd rather be at the mercy of Misty's infamous temper than have to suffer through whatever Gary had planned for him, and for anyone who'd met the redhead, that was saying something.

Saying that, Ash was brought back out of his thoughts and to his present dilemma. Sitting outside under the base of a large oak tree, absent mindedly scratching a sleeping Pikachu's head, Ash was at a loss of what to do. The real tragedy wasn't the overall fact that he'd forgot, it was more what it had led to him doing. Or not doing, to be more precise.

To be blunt, in forgetting the day itself, it had also slipped his mind to buy a present. Meaning there was no time to plan, no time to go out and find something that didn't scream 'bought at the last minute', and Gary was going to be home in exactly three hours, upon which Ash would be completely out of options.

Desperate, mundane, and even outrageous excuses flashed through his mind one by one, ranging from finding one of his and Gary's childhood hideouts and waiting for everything to blow over, or running away to Unova for the foreseeable future. Though at the back of his mind, he knew it wouldn't make much of a difference. In the end, Gary would be waiting for him to come back, and Ash wasn't willing to give up his entire life to avoid facing the music, however tempting the idea sounded.

With a heavy groan, Ash ran both hands through his hair, wishing for something to happen, just to take his mind off his inner crisis. But, as predicted, no such mercy was granted.

In his lap, Pikachu's ears twitched, the sudden pause in ministrations causing him to stir. His onyx eyes opening one by one, blinking a few times as they adjusted, the electric mouse raised his head slightly, yawning and rubbing his eyes with tiny fists.

At the tired sounding "Chaa .. " catching his attention, Ash looked down at his companion, offering him a small smile in apology.

"Sorry, buddy," he mused, leaning back against the tree with a sigh. "It's just .. dammit, I don't know what to do.

Pikachu tilted his head, and he patted his trainer's arm sympathetically. "Pikapi," he consoled, his ears falling down a little.

Ash gave a weak smile in response, letting his head fall back so he was looking at the blue sky above. "Figures," he mumbled in depression. "I achieved my childhood dream of becoming a pokémon master, and yet I forgot my own boyfriend's birthday."

Pikachu could only slap his forehead with a depressed little, "Chuu," in reply.

xxx

The things Ash would do when he was confused, and even desperate, were bizarre even by his usual standards. Right now, he was in one of them. Or more to the point, he was sitting in a kitchen he knew vaguely well, but not one he'd been in for a fair few years, while the resident of the household sat opposite him.

Leaf sighed dramatically, puffing her chest out then slumping back, her blue eyes studying the teen before her. Any other day she would have playfully teased him about getting so worked up about such a thing, but given the situation, along with the fact that both Ash and Gary were two of her best friends, she felt obliged to help. Besides, it could be fun.

"So what's the problem?" She asked, though mostly it was to get the conversation going. For a while, she had a feeling Ash would have forgotten, there was just no reason to correct him. If anything, this would work out for the best.

Opposite her, Ash raised his gaze to meet her's, an eyebrow quirked. "Can we just get to the point?" He requested, as though voicing it aloud would make things worse, like Gary would spontaneously walk through the front door. "You already know, anyway."

Catching the unintended implication, Leaf frowned. "Don't go pinning this on me, Ash Ketchum. It's not my responsibility to keep you in line." Her blue eyes suddenly glittered. "I was led to believe that was Gary's job."

If such words had been said by anyone else, Ash would have blushed, but there was too much familiarity with Leaf to feel embarassment. As such, all he did was exhale deeply, resting his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. "Not the time, Leaf," he grumbled, in no mood to be teased.

Leaf rolled her eyes, but complied, nonetheless. "Okay, so back to the subject at hand, what's the problem?"

Ash glared at her half heartedly, but seeing as just admitting it would move things along, he decided to listen to common sense. "I forgot what today was, so I didn't get Gary anything," he mumbled. "So now what am I supposed to do?"

With a rare flicker of seriousness in her eyes, Leaf pressed her lips together as she thought about it, humming slightly. "That is a bit of a predicament," she mused, tapping her nails on the table, the sound surprisingly loud. Eventually she slammed her fist on the table rather lightly, her frown curling into a playful smile. "Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't help you there. I used up my week's worth of creativity trying to find my own gift."

"Leaf!" Ash whined in annoyance, but also in subtle desperation. "You need to help me, what am I supposed to tell Gary when he comes back?"

Whatever reaction he'd expected, it definitely wasn't close to what he got. Leaf tutted slightly, shaking her head. "If you need to ask me that, then I can't help you," she said, then muttered under her breath, "Jeez, Ash, I know you're cute and all, but Arceus you need to get some."

Intended or not, Ash heard every word, a pink blush finally touching his cheeks. "What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded, his annoyance back full force.

"What I mean is that you may just have the perfect opportunity for some .. last minute preperations."

Though she could have slapped her forehead when Ash replied sincerely with, "I'm not following you."

"Think about it, Ash," she said, sharply. "What do couples tend to do on their birthdays?"

From the way his brow crinkled, she could see he was thinking about it. But yet again he circled right back round into confusion. " .. they celebrate it?"

To refrain from clamping her hands around Ash's neck, Leaf instead balled them tightly into fists. It wasn't uncommon for her to occasionally wonder how she put up with him. Half the time it was like talking to a Slowpoke when the subject turned to romance.

"Yeah, they celebrate it. But how?" To make things easier for him, Leaf added, "What happens at night when everyone goes home and it's just the two of you?"

Sienna eyes blinking, Ash looked, if possible, even more lost than he was a few moments ago. "They .. stay up late?"

"And .. ?" Leaf was bordering on deperation, her hand rotating as if to coax the words out of his mouth. But to no avail.

" .. play video games?"

Her hand met her forehead. Could she spell it out any clearer? Goodness, if she didn't know for sure, then she'd have trouble believing Ash wasn't a virgin. She'd seen the signs, most notably the tell tale limp Ash had sported around a month after he and Gary became an official couple.

At the thought, she made a mental note to tell Ash to make up more plausible excuses. A training accident? It was really quite cute how he'd believed she would buy it. She just didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise.

As her gaze met Ash's, she quickly put a pin in the mental memo. That could wait, right now there were more important matters at hand. "Okay, Ash, I'll be blunt with you," she leaned forward slightly, "I have something for you to give Gary that will _guarantee_ he'll forgive you for any absent mindedness you make in the past, present, or future."

She almost smirked at the look of shock that crossed his features. There was no way he'd get out of this now.

"Wait, what do you mean?" There was a note of skepticism lacing his tone, which Leaf couldn't really blame him for. She had just promised the seemingly impossible, after all.

"I mean, I already have something for you to give your other half." Now she really did smirk at the look of outrage on Ash's face.

"Couldn't you have told me that in the first place?!" He almost yelled, his cheeks flushed, though not in embarassment.

Leaf shrugged indifferently. "You never asked," she responded, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms. "How on earth was I supposed to know?"

"Well you .. you could have just told me!" He insisted, frowning deeply. "You didn't think I was going to ask you something like that, did you?"

She just tilted her head innocently. "Why not? You did when we were eight."

"That was ten years ago, we were kids!" He reliated, but as he went to push the argument further, realisation flickered in his eyes, his common sense hitting him for the second time that day. "Okay, we're not getting anywhere like this .. can you just tell me what to do?"

Wasting no time, Leaf swiftly got to her feet, exiting the room and going upstairs. Ash watched her leave, unsure if he should follow her, or not. But before he could come to a decision, Leaf was back, holding a gift wrapped box in her hands, the shape and size of a book. Indicating for Ash to get up, she held it out to him.

A bit apprehensively, Ash took it, staring in silence at the lilac bow wrapped around it. He looked up at Leaf, at loss of what to think, only to see her smiling enigmatically.

"That, dear Ashy, is the solution to your little problem," she replied, leaning against the door frame with her arms folded.

Ash raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of dread twisting in his stomach. "So .. am I supposed to just give it to Gary?" He inquired. It seemed like the obvious choice, but he wanted to confirm it, nonetheless.

However, Leaf shook her head. "Of course not. That's for you."

If he wasn't confused before, he definitely was now. His eyes widening, he stared at Leaf, who continued to smile sweetly. He knew that look all too well; one that teased him mutely.

"Uh .. okay," he said slowly, looking back at the box in his hands. He had no clue as to what it was, and considering how small and light it was, he doubted there was anything much inside. Curious, he went to unravel the bow, but the moment his finger tips brushed against the silk of the ribbon, Leaf slapped his hand away.

"Ow!" Ash protested, but more out of instinct considering it didn't actually hurt in anyway. His eyes met Leaf's.

"Don't open it now, you idiot," she scolded. "You're supposed to go home, wait until it's about an hour before Gary comes back, make sure it's just you in the house, and _then_ you open it."

It would be naive not to ask, "Why then?"

When Leaf just flashed him that same sweet, yet cunning smile, Ash actually felt a shiver rush up his spine.

"Trust me, Ash. I'd never let you down," she said, her voice sugary. "I mean, when have I ever let you down?"

Despite her natural flare for manipulating the situation, Leaf had a point. She'd never gone too far, nor had she let him down, either accidently or deliberately. Even so, he couldn't help but be skeptical.

"And then what?" He questioned. "What happens after I open it?"

The way her eyes glittered, Ash found himself wishing he'd never asked. Yet in a voice as sweet and innocent as it got, she simply responded with, "Trust me, once you open it, you'll know _exactly_ what you're supposed to do."

xxx

That bitch.

Ash felt like punching the wall. He'd long since sworn he'd never trust Leaf again, nor would he go to her for advice, yet here he was, his situation undoubtably worse than just a few hours before.

He'd followed her instructions perfectly. Sure, he'd tried to violate the few rules she'd given him, but it seemed as though she'd already thought of that, for whenever he even looked at the box with curiosity, two pink pokémon - a Jigglypuff and a Clefairy, to be exact - would quite literally appear out of nowhere to keep things clear that their trainer's rules were not there to be broken.

Curiously enough, they didn't hit him, but Ash was definitely more grateful for that. Though they looked cute, Leaf's pokémon sure packed a mean punch.

But when the time had come in which they had allowed him to come near the box, it was too late for him to wish he'd never listened to her. For now, he was sitting cross legged on Gary's bed, the opened box in his lap, and the contents displayed in decorative, rose tinted tissue.

The very moment his eyes fell upon the gifts within was the exact time Ash had figured out just what Leaf expected him to do. And there was no way in _hell_ that he was going through with it. No. Freakin'. Way.

For starters, what appeared to be the main gift in the apparent set she'd given him was without a doubt suited for someone of the opposite gender. That said, Ash held the offending piece of material between his index finger and thumb, the bridge of his nose creased as he stared with wide eyes, unconsciously taking in every detail.

There were many things he could call them, but to put it bluntly, he was holding, and staring at a pair of silk panties. And that wasn't even the worst part.

They were pink. Of all the colours in all the world, Leaf could have chosen any of them. But no, despite the wide variety, she'd selected _pink_. Maybe he would have been more forgiving if they were blue, or even red. But _pink?_

With his other hand, he held up the other end in the same manner, holding the piece of lingerie out fully in front of him, his eyes still scanning over them in horror, from the pale pink colour of the silk, which reminded him with some ammount of trauma of the colour of Jigglypuff's fur, to the deeper, rosy shade of the lace trimming. They even had a tiny white ribbon delicately knotted into a bow at the front.

It was absolutely nauseating. Did Leaf really expect him to go through with this?!

Shuddering at the possibility of what could have been going through her mind at the time of purchasing the garment, it slipped from his hold and landed back in the nest of pink tissue. He wanted nothing more than to throw the box away and escape from Pallet for a week or so, but couldn't redirect his gaze from what else rested within it.

Gingerly picking up the piece of silk and tossing it on the bed, wanting to keep some distance from it, Ash peeled away the tissue, and instantly regretted it. If he had previously had any doubt of what Leaf had been thinking, those suspicions were now undeniably confirmed. There were two more things presented inside, the first being an item that Ash could instantly recognise, though he wasn't entirely sure that was a good thing.

Whether or not Leaf was being considerate, had her doubts about Ash or Gary's knowledge on the subject, or just couldn't resist sending the complete set, she'd put enough thought into her gift to include a bottle of lube. Strawberry flavoured.

Ash didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But his decision was determined by the third and final item. At first he'd dismissed it as part of the packaging, but upon closer inspection, he noticed that it didn't quite fit that category, especially since a strand of plum coloured silk didn't appear to have a purpose in making anything more eye catching. He could only stare at it for a full few minutes before both his eyebrows shot up.

_You have got to be kidding me!_

Right now, he figured he didn't what to know anything that went on in Leaf's mind if she had thought it appropriate to include a blind fold. In fact, he swore that he was never speaking to her again. Ever.

And as he crammed everything hastily back into the box and shoved it under the bed, he made a mental note to have Charizard destroy it as soon as he could, because there was no way in hell that he would even consider going through with what Leaf had planned.

End of story.

xxx

It was actually quite terrifying how one's pride can be lost in the course of just one simple action. Such as phoning a former friend to yell at them. Never had Ash regretted going against his better judgement more than he did now.

In phoning Leaf to demand an answer, their 'conversation' had progressed to the point where she simply stated that now he had only two options left: using his gift, or facing Gary's teasing when the researcher returned.

Though now, Ash was beginning to wonder if being the target of his boyfriend's taunts would really be such a bad alternative. He'd spent several years of his life on the recieving end of those biting words, after all.

But now, there wasn't much else he could do, for he was standing in Gary's bedroom, covered only by two garments; the horrid piece of pink silk and lace that Leaf had been so kind as to give him, and a shirt of Gary's, a shade of red not unlike the colour of wine, which reached the middle of his thighs, thankfully covering the panties that he found to be far too embarassing to look at.

He held the blind fold in one hand, the sleeves of the shirt long enough to cover them both, so only half the length of the plum coloured material was visible. If he was completely honest, the two colours contrasted quite sensually, but he wasn't about to admit that aloud. Though now he was here, he was at a loss of what to do. Was he supposed to wear the blind fold by the time Gary returned, or was he supposed to use it on his boyfriend? Or perhaps it was something for them to decide on their own?

So many questions, and Ash was feeling uncharacteristically nervous in finding answers to them. Maybe it was best not to think about it, a decision Ash found he was all too happy to go along with.

Though honestly, he had no idea what he was supposed to do. Stay in the bedroom and wait for Gary to arrive? Go downstairs and lie on the couch? He groaned heavily, his head in his hands before he raked them through his hair. Up until now, his and Gary's sex life wasn't nearly so complicated. Mostly it was just a spur of the moment thing; neither had yet gone up to the other and teased anything soon to come. It was always straight to the point; make out sessions going a step further; one cornering the other while in the shower; relatively spontaneous actions.

But this? Ash was definitely breaking their tradition of sorts by actually planning to spread his legs like a wanton slut in twenty minutes. Somehow he couldn't quite shake the feeling that the inevitable end of the night would bring extreme embarassment to him.

He would have continued his pointless self pity, had he not heard the front door slam shut downstairs, snapping him out of his thoughts so suddenly, he physically jumped, his feet momentarily leaving the ground. With his heart pounding wildly in his chest, Ash looked around almost cautiously, staring at the closed bedroom door as he heard someone move around downstairs.

If he had any doubt as to whom it was, it was quickly dashed upon hearing a faint, yet familiar '_'breon_' from downstairs, and a muffled reply following soon after.

Ash just _knew_ his entire face was crimson, and no doubt as heated as it looked. As if things couldn't have gotten worse, Gary was home early.

Great.

xxx

Stepping into the empty house, Gary sighed as he fell back on the bed, his eyes closing of their own accord. To put things simply, it had been a _long_ day, just like every other day that week. Though he couldn't find a reason to complain. Not long ago, two important discoveries had been made; in a region far from Kanto, an Eevee had evolved into what appeared to be an eighth Eeveelution, some pink and white creation that Gary, simply put, found bizarre. Personally, he thought that with each passing day, pokémon designs were becoming more and more unnecessarily elaborate.

But the most intruiging quality was it's type. At first glance, Gary had assumed it to be a normal type, but apparently that wasn't the case, as his grandfather was considering the possibility that it was an entirely new type altogether.

"_'Breon_," came a voice from beside him, and he opened his eyes just in time to see Umbreon leap up onto the couch and settle herself comfortably beside her trainer, who scratched behind her ears in just the way she liked it.

"You okay, girl?" Gary inquired, idily watching her stretch out, a loud yawn escaping her. Ruby eyes closing, Umbreon curled up on her favourite cushion, only purring slightly in response.

Gary chuckled. It was no real surprise that Umbreon would be tired; she'd been involved in the Eeveelution project almost as much as he was. With discussions of a possible 'Light' type, they found the best way to begin proving this theory would be to study the pokémon around a Dark type. Considering Umbreon was both a Dark type and an Eeveelution, scientists were practically begging Gary to bring her in. She seemed fine with it all, and even appeared to be enjoying some of the mock battles with her new friend.

One last look at his pokémon was enough to tell Gary that she had already fallen into a deep sleep, the tips of her ears twitching a little as she dreamed. He thought the sight was rather cute, especially in comparison to her usually stern nature. She was a big softy, really.

Gary sighed slightly as he stood back up. It wasn't what he'd usually class as late, but it was dark enough to at least be called the evening. And right now, that was enough.

Without a second thought, he made his way up the stairs, looking to go to sleep early. If tomorrow was even half as stressful as today, then he'd need all the rest he could get.

But the first thing he noticed as he reached the landing was his bedroom door. It was closed.

There were various things about Gary, obsessive-compulsive tendancies that he always made sure to follow through on, unless he was content to be urked by the thought all day. Which was never.

One of these 'quirks', as Daisy tended to put it, was that he always left his bedroom door open when he went out. Mostly it was because the room could get awfully stuffy during the summer, but also because closed doors on the landing made him feel slighty claustrophobic.

And he knew for certain that he'd left it open before he left that morning. Daisy would be the only one who would have any reason to come over whilst he was out, and she was always considerate enough to leave everything as she found it, and that included all his weird habits.

Meaning there was one option left; since everyone in Pallet knew one another and never had reasons to break into their neighbours' houses (not that they'd get away with theft, living in the small town they did), it meant that whoever had closed it was still in the house somewhere.

And by 'somewhere', he meant his bedroom, and by 'whoever', he meant Ash. It wasn't the first time Gary had come home to find Ash asleep on his bed for reasons unknown to the older of the two, and he highly doubted it would be the last.

Shaking his head to himself, Gary grasped the door knob, turning it and pushing the door open. His attention was quickly spiked when he noticed how dark the room was. He could still see perfectly well, but it was blatantly obvious that Ash had chosen to close the blinds on the window this time, which wasn't something he ever found necessary to do.

Strange.

Gary would have dwelled on this a little more, but as his gaze swept over to the bed, expecting to find a snoozing Ash, he instead froze in his tracks, his emerald eyes widening almost comically.

As it turned out, he was only partially right in his assumption. Ash was on the bed, but there were a few things different this time than how the scenario would usually play out. For starters, Ash was fully conscious and sitting cross legged on the bed, rather than lying curled up under the duvet. Second, he wasn't in his usual attire, which was usually made up of jeans and whatever shirt he touched first in the morning. Instead, he was clad in a shirt Gary instantly recognised, one than covered Ash's entire upper body, the sleeves in need of being scrunched up to keep Ash's hands free, while being long enough in length to cover his most intimate area, leaving his legs completely bare and free for viewing; something Gary couldn't prevent himself from doing if he'd tried.

Emerald eyes trailed over those two tan legs, up to the hem of the red, velvety material that covered the raven haired boy, and leading up to his face. Only then did Gary notice the expression Ash was sporting. To put it simply, Ash was quite obviously embarassed, and Gary didn't need the soft red glow to light up the younger's cheeks to notice that. His eyes were staring at an invisible spot on the carpet, sparking with determination to avoid the questioning emerald gaze, while his plump, pink lips were pulled into a tense line, and his eyebrows were in danger of merging into one.

Maybe it was more to do with the fact that the blood previously helping function Gary's mind was now flowing elsewhere, caused by the sudden image of seeing Ash enveloped partially in a shade that looked rather striking on him, but Gary personally thought that Ash, if possible, looked even cuter than usual with his features pulled into that rather childish scowl, a mini version of the pout Ash would sport whenever he became aware that he had lost the current argument with his former rival.

Which was always.

As though some non existent bell had chimed, Gary was drawn out of his thoughts, which had been developing into some very erotic images, his emerald eyes blinking several times, as though he were subconsciously confirming that he wasn't experiencing side effect from lack of sleep. He then cleared his throat, somewhat awkwardly.

"Uh .. hey, Ash," were the words that left his lips, and he instantly felt like slapping himself, his mind already cursing at him for his choice of greeting.

_Good going, Gary, just fucking brilliant! Ash is sitting on your bed, half dressed, and of all the phrases in all the world, you say 'hey'? Real smooth .._

However, it didn't seem as though Ash was affected by the sudden development, possibly because, in his mind, the situation couldn't _get_ more awkward than it was now.

"Uh .. hey," the trainer replied, managing to pull his gaze from the floor, but could only lift it as high as Gary's chest before a sheepish grin spread across his face, one hand going to the back of his head. " .. happy birthday .. "

Immediately, those sienna eyes closed, Ash's grin becoming strained, and his blush spreading to his neck. It was clear to see he was mentally pleading to Arceus for the floor to simply open up and swallow him, just to get away from the situation at hand.

Moments passed in complete silence, neither occupant in the room moving. Ash was beginning to wonder - or rather, _hope_ - that Gary had simply turned around and left. Even if it meant the humilation later on, at least now he would be safe.

He was about to open his eyes just enough to see if his theory (correction, _hope_) was, in fact, reality, but both his eyes snapped open with surprise as warm lips pressed down upon his own. A pair of emerald eyes gazed into sienna, barely a distance apart.

Before Ash could reciprocate the gesture, Gary pulled away, but only just; enough so that their lips grazed against one another as he spoke;

"Have I ever mentioned how cute you look when you're flustered, Ashy?"

Ash doubted he would have been able to come up with a retort even if his life depended on it, but Gary didn't seem willing to give him the chance, as his lips collided with Ash's with a sudden hunger, one hand brushing over his cheek on their way to the silky mass of raven locks. He pulled the younger close to him, Ash's hands coming to rest upon his shoulders and gripping tightly.

"Mmm .. G - Gary?" Ash murmured during the brief moment in which their lips weren't occupied. "What .. uh, d - do you .. ?"

But Gary, uninterested in making conversation, could only claim those soft lips once again, only this time he ran his tongue across them, tracing over their shape and requesting entrance.

Ash, though briefly caught off guard, didn't hesitate to part his lips, allowing Gary to easily slide his tongue inside his mouth. "Mmm .. " He hummed as the invading tongue met his own, coaxing it into a sensual dance, gently lapping at, and curling round the appendage. His arms immediately came up to circle around Gary's neck, pulling him as close as he could manage, which still wasn't enough.

Gary's other hand, free from the mass of raven hair, rested upon Ash's leg, trailing up his thigh and circling around his waist, resting upon his lower back to hold him close. He groaned deeply, the low sound sending a shiver through Ash, his earlier embarassment washed away as he kissed Gary back as best he could, feeling his body begin to take note of what he and Gary were currently engaged in.

"Gary .. " He gasped as the kiss was broken, both he and Gary panting slightly for air. The researcher's cheeks were glazed with pink, and his emerald eyes half lidded, drunk with lust.

" .. Ash .. " He muttered, pressing a kiss to Ash's cheek, trailing down to the younger's neck, nipping at the silky skin and eliciting a moan from his raven haired lover, who tightened his grip around Gary.

The heat of the moment soon overwhelmed Ash, and as Gary licked at the fresh wound on his shoulder, Ash allowed his eyes to flutter shut, giving in to his desires. All too soon, however, he felt Gary's arms traililng up his arms, larger, warmer hands cupping his own and prying them away from auburn spikes.

As though speech were too much of an effort, Ash moaned in protest, his nose crinkling and his grip growing tighter.

"Shh," Gary soothed, whispering into Ash's ear, his breath making the younger squirm as the motion tickled him, "trust me, Ashy."

There was once a time where Ash would never have done such a thing, yet now he complied without a moment's hesitation. Although maybe, just this once, he should have been a bit apprehensive, for the moment Gary had untangled Ash's hands from his hair, the younger almost immediately found his wrists tied together with a recently familiar piece of plum coloured silk.

"Wha - ?!" He almost yelped, struggling to pull himself free from the surprisingly tight binding. "Gary, you - !" As his eyes met Gary's, Ash _knew_ his former rival was smirking just by looking into those emerald depths.

"You were the one who dropped it, Ash," he teased, pushing his lover back to lie on the bed and climbing over him. "Finders keepers," he breathed into Ash's ear, before licking the rim, slowly and gently, just enough to stimulate the younger's nerves.

Ash shifted underneath Gary as the latter pressed wet kisses from behind his ear, down the younger's neck and around his throat, running his tongue across the area that Ash's pulse was visible, wanting only to hear the younger to whine and whimper under his control. He slid his knees between Ash's legs, positioning it between the younger's thighs, barely bringing contact to his growing erection.

Even though his hands were tied, Ash moved his legs to wrap around Gary's waist as best he could, unsatisfied with the otherwise lack of contact. As Gary bit down on Ash's neck, sucking the tan skin, the younger moaned loudly, an action that had him clawing at Gary's shirt with his bound hands, the fabric creasing and almost ripping within his grip.

His tongue lapping at the darkened patch of skin, Gary allowed his hands to run up Ash's sides, sliding beneath the shirt and falling into every dip and curve he could reach, sighing softly at the pleasure it brought him just to be able to feel Ash, to be this close to him.

"Gary!" Ash yelped, writhing on the bed, rubbing his covered erection against his lover, trying to gain some friction. "Just .. just do something!"

Gary would have laughed, had he not been biting down on Ash's neck, marring his skin with purple marks. "What's that, Ash?" He inquired once he'd lifted his head, the smirk evident in his voice. "You want me to do what?"

Realising his mistake, Ash frowned, inwardly seething at giving Gary an opening. " .. nothing," he murmured, turning his head far to side, away from Gary, who raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?" The researcher stated, his tone casual. "Then you don't want me to do this," he swiftly reached down, his hand cupping Ash's hardening sex; the young instantly bucked his hips.

Biting down hard on his lower lip, Ash shook his head furiously, aroused, but unwilling to give in. "N .. no!" He hissed, desperately trying to hold in his damn of moans as Gary caressed his erection through the silk.

Gary smirked, unable to pass up the opportunity to tease his former rival. "I don't know why you feel the need to lie to me, Ashy boy," he mused, pressing butterfree kisses against the younger's neck. "All you need to do is tell me you want it. That's not so hard, now is it?"

Ash knew he was getting nowhere by refusing to speak, but he didn't care. Right now, where he was still at least in some control of his body, he wasn't giving in.

Gary frowned in mock disappointment, but if Ash had been looking, he would have seen the almost primal glint in those emerald eyes. "Shame," he sighed, his hand moving up from Ash's pelvis to his stomach, seperating the contact between the two of them, "but I'm sure I can convince you to tell me the truth."

Before Ash could respond, Gary began to slowly unbutton Ash's red shirt, exposing his chest, then stomach, pressing wet kisses on the toned, smooth flesh as he did so, trailing lower and lower, until ..

For a few moments, everything paused.

"Gary?" Ash asked, his voice little above a breath, so much so that he was unsure if Gary had heard it. He lifted his head, looking down at the auburn spikes. " .. Gary?" He asked again, a bit louder this time.

But when Gary looked up, his expression told Ash exactly what he didn't want to hear.

"Pink, Ash?" Were Gary's next words, his eyes full of amusement and his lips curved into a smirk, trembling slightly as they struggled to contain his laughter. "I'd never have guessed."

As though he had a dial hidden somewhere on his skin, Ash burned a deep red, as though his entire body had been turned up to maximum heat. For a while there, he'd almost forgotten about his piece of unwanted clothing.

"I'd have pegged you as the type of guy who preferred blue."

Leaf was going to pay!

"Or maybe even something black, and lacy. Edgier, y'know? Never thought you'd have gone for something so .. feminine."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!" Ash exclaimed, pressing his thighs together and pulling the shirt down as low as he could, his eyes scrunched shut.

But Gary's smirk only grew. "No, I'm serious. You in some little black lacy number? I can totally envision that. But who'd have guessed you'd look so pretty in pink? This thing must have been made for you - "

"I said shut up!" Ash interrupted; the poor kid was so embarassed. As if he needed to be reminded.

Gary pressed his lips to Ash's abdomen, his nearly silent laughter coming out in shuddering breaths. "Make sure to wear these more often, would ya?"

Something resembling a growl rumbled deep in Ash's throat. "Gary, I - mmph!" Sienna eyes snapped open as Gary's lips collided with Ash's own, stealing his breath and drowning out his words.

Moments later, Gary pulled away ever so slightly. "You're not taking those off, y'know," he teased, reconnecting his lips before the younger could protest.

Ash, though currently seething, clawed at Gary's shirt, as though attempting to rip it straight off him. Even after being teases, the lack of skin on skin contact was beginning to drive him crazy. Any clothes that got torn in the process were of no importance. Especially anything pink.

"Eager, Ashy?" Gary murmured through the kiss. Ash could feel his smirk against his lips.

"Gary, just .. just do it!" Ash whined in response, tugging at the material, feeling a button tear off in the process.

Smirking, Gary obeyed the demand, though mostly as eager as Ash to be rid of his clothing, which was starting to feel much too uncomfortable and tight for his liking. He easily pulled his shirt off dropping it to the floor carelessly. Ash's bound hands immediately brushed over his stomach muscles, touching everywhere they could.

"Mmm," Ash sighed, nuzzling his fuschia tinted face into the crook of his boyfriend's neck, his breathing heavy.

Gary shivered at the sudden contact, lowering himself onto his elbows as goosebumps erupted over his skin. He exhaled heavily, his breath rushing over Ash's chest and making the younger writhe. Gary rested his forehead against Ash's chest, eyeing the small, half hard nipples. Without a second thought, he ran his tongue over one of them, his teeth grazing against it as he sucked.

Ash inhaled sharply, his chest rising suddenly as the moist warmth attacked his chest, his nerves exploding with the abrupt feeling. He groaned softly, his head falling back against the bed, sienna eyes fluttering shut.

As the bud became harder with each lick, Gary nipped at it, feeling Ash tense that very moment, but also hearing those sweet groans falling from wanting lips. His hands ran down Ash's sides, touching the lace rim of the panties he wore; Gary couldn't help but smirk.

With Ash momentarily distracted, Gary swiftly undid the silk binding around his wrists, hands falling against Gary's head, the trainer seemingly unaware of the development through his pleasured haze, which Gary used to his advantage and slipped Ash's arms through the sleeves of the shirt, leaving him covered only by pink silk.

Instantly, the temptation became too much, pulling away from his lover, Gary pushed himself up on his knees, one either side of Ash as his emerald eyes drank in the image with a fervent hunger. Whether or not Ash was aware of it, he truly was breathtaking, and right now, Gary could barely restrain the urge to pounce on him and take him over, and over again.

The lithe body was covered in a thin film of sweat, making his tanned skin glisten in what little light remained in the room. His chest heaved, sienna eyes closed, but long lashes touching his cheeks, raven hair spread out on the duvet like a dark halo.

Ash was stunning, and Gary felt no shame in admitting it.

"Mmm .. Gary?" Ash murmured, his eyes flickering open, the lack of contact becoming apparent to him.

Gary's gaze trailed downwards, over the toned stomach and to the pink lingerie; the silk strained against Ash's growing erection, slightly dampened by precum as Ash's manhood begged for release. And as Ash's glazed eyes met his own, the vision was momentarily complete.

" .. Gary, don't," Ash mumbled turning his head away, but making no effort to cover himself; either past feeling embarassment, or too aroused to care anymore.

Gary smiled, not a smirk, but a genuine, caring smile. "Why should I?" He asked, no trace of teasing detected in his tone. "You're beautiful, Ash."

Those eyes blinked, swivelling back to meet emerald. Confusion, disbelief, and even and caution swam in those sienna depths, enough to make Gary's heart give a heavy jolt in emotional pain.

"Huh .. ?" Was all Ash could say on the matter, never once breaking eye contact.

Gary reached out, his hand brushing against Ash's cheek, over the z-shaped marks to cup that side of his face, the tips of his fingers resting in raven hair. "I said," he almost whispered, sincerely lacing his voice, "that you're beautiful, Ash Ketchum."

For a while, be it minutes, or merely seconds, neither Ash nor Gary could do more than simply stare into one other's eyes, sienna reflecting hesitence, while emerald radiated sincerity. Eventually, Ash pushed himself up on his elbows, and complying with the unspoken request, Gary leaned back into the embrace, his lips connecting with Ash's in a way that was neither forceful, or filled with lust. For that moment, it was just them; Ash and Gary, the single gesture speaking volumes words could not hope to reach.

They both fell back onto the bed, Gary once again running his hands down Ash's sides, reaching the silk and this time hooking his thumb into it, gently pulling it down.

At the motion, Ash was the one who smirked this time. "I thought you said I wasn't taking it off?" He teased, raising an eyebrow.

Gary was unfazed. "Just don't be concerned if the rest of your underwear mysteriously goes missing."

Ash gave a breathy laugh, then accepted another kiss from Gary, swiping his tongue across his lips and immediately being granted access to the warm, wet cavern.

After tossing the pink fabric aside, Gary allowed his hands to wander, running over every inch of tan skin until they reached the small of Ash's back, trailing down to his entrance, nudging its way into him. At this, Ash broke the kiss.

"Um, there's .. on the table," he murmured, and Gary looked up at that particular piece of furniture. His eyes landed on a small bottle of lubricant.

"You're certainly prepared," he couldn't help but tease as he picked up the bottle, the snap of the lid opening breaking the otherwise silence of the room. "And here I thought you never planned ahead."

For what could have been the hundredth time that evening, Ash blushed, though not furiously, like before. "Uh .. yeah, I guess .. " He wrapped his arms around Gary's neck, burying his hands in auburn hair while Gary squeezed some of the liquid out. The sharp, sweet scent of artificial strawberries gradually filled the room, and Ash inhaled deeply, the scent mixing in with the natural cinnamon aroma that clung to Gary day in and day out.

Intoxicating.

Something cool touched his entrance, and he instinctively jolted whilst caught up in his haze. A softly spoken 'Shh,' in his ear was all it took to calm him, and a moment later, he felt Gary push his index finger through the ring of muscle as deep as he could, then slowly sliding it back out, then back in, settling into a pattern.

Ash sighed, the initial discomfort gradually fading into pleasure, rising again for a few moments as Gary slipped in a second finger, the action repeating, and any pain dissolving into pleasure.

"Mmm," he hummed as Gary prepared him, managing to restrain his legs from curling around his boyfriend's waist, despite the agonising lack of contact to his dripping arousal.

As Gary eventually retracted his fingers, satisfied with his work, Ash inhaled deeply, his breath coming in short, quick gasps while his chest rose and fell in perfect tempo. HIs heart pounded wildly in his chest, and his eyes closed in bliss. His lips, however, remained parted slightly, and it wasn't a moment later that they were covered with another pair, and a tongue easily slipped past those pink lips, taking advantage of the situation.

"I love you."

The words were so softly spoken the moment their lips had parted, Gary could have easily mistaken it for a figment of his imagination, but as he saw those sienna eyes gazing up into his own, he knew in that instant that his ears were not decieving him.

" .. what?" Was all he could say in response.

Ash shifted slightly, actually looking and sounding shy as he spoke. "I .. I love you, Gary," he repeated quietly. "I .. I have for a .. while."

Gary could only stare. Never once had he thought Ash would whisper those words to him.

"So .. " Ash chewed on his lip for a moment, redirecting his gaze. " .. yeah."

Ignoring everything else for just a few moments, Gary swooped down and captured Ash's lips in a kiss, devouring the younger completely, feeling reluctant to end it. "Yeah .. " Was his response. "I .. I love you, too .. "

And he did.

Their lips met in a series of long, and short, sweet kisses, Gary's eyes fluttering shut as Ash's hands ran through his hair. He allowed himself to moan, having held them back to listen to the sounds Ash made, and the moment he did, something brushed against his closed lids. He would have opened them, but could only manage halfway, his vision blocked by material, enough pressure to tell him that perhaps he wasn't meant to be able to see.

"Ash?" He spoke, unsure of the development, at least until he heard a mischivous giggle from close by, a micro second before Ash pushed against his chest, rolling him onto his back, head against the pillows. "Ash?" He called out again, taken aback by the sudden change.

As if in response, he felt Ash shift on the bed before a weight settled on Gary's thighs as Ash straddled him, his hands immediately going to the researcher's jeans, unbuckling the belt and tugging them off along with his boxers, freeing his hardened member.

He would have spoke had he been able to, for the very second he opened his mouth was when Ash grasped hold of his arousal, making him gasp loudly. The smaller hands stroked Gary slowly, coating his arousal with lubricant, before raising himself up on his knees and gripping onto Gary's shoulders.

"Gary?" Came a voice in his ear, so seductively spoken it made Gary shiver.

With a careful, practised movement, Ash lowered himself onto Gary's erection, both gasping as he did so; Ash with the biting pain, but underlining pleasure; Gary at the overwhelming heat he was being sheathed into. Ash thrusted Gary deep within him, groaning, then sighing as he shifted, adjusting to the invader, his hands gripping onto aurburn hair as though it were his lifeline, breaths coming in sharp, uncontrollable inhales, his head reeling as though he were on a high, while Gary trembled beneath him, his fingers digging onto Ash's thighs hard enough to leave bruises. Not that either of them minded.

"Fuck, Ash," Gary groaned, his back arching as his head fell back against the pillows, his own breathing out of his control, chest heaving and covered in sweat.

Ash couldn't help himself. Gaining confidence from somewhere, he leaned forward, lapping at Gary's chest, making him jump at the action. His warm, pink tongue running over Gary, moving over to his nipple and kissing it firmly, he almost squealed when he heard Gary moan deeply, his head coming forward to rest in raven locks as Ash continued his ministrations.

"A - Ash .. " He almost whimpered, breathing hard into dark hair, and shifting his hips, trying to relieve some of the overwhelming pressure broiling in his stomach, but felt hands cover his own.

"No," Ash panted, turning his attention away from Gary's chest. "S - stay still. I .. want to .. to do it." He prised Gary's hands away from his thighs, moving them up to instead rest on his hips. Once he had done so, Ash rested his hands on Gary's shoulders, lifting himself up hesitantly, then lowering himself back down, creating a slow, scorching burn to radiate beneath his skin, teasing the pressure within him and forcing him to bite his lip hard.

Gary, on the other hand, wasn't nearly so composed. For once, it was his moans that were heard, it was the only thing he could do as he focused every last ounce of his will power into not thrusting upwards to meet Ash's hips. This time, he was letting Ash take control.

The raven haired boy whined deep in his throat as he continued his movement, feeling as though his legs were moving on their own accord, his arms wrapping around Gary's neck, his weeping erection rubbing against Gary's taunt abs as he did so, practically begging for some form of contact. As a result, Ash moved faster, pounding down harder and harder each time, his eyes screwed shut with the effort, until ..

He inhaled sharply, exhaling it in the form of a loud, drawn out moan as struck that wonderful part inside of him; the spot that, when touched, made him scream in mindless pleasure and beg for more. Without hesitation, he repeated his action, hitting that marvelous spot again and again, memorising just where it was even through his clouded sense of mind, his lips parted, opening the gates for all vocal sound; moaning, and screaming, each thrust making his pleasure rise higher and higher, pushing him unbearably close to the edge as the heat in his stomach began to uncoil -

"Aaahhh ~ !" The scream passed Ash's lips, his head realing back as his body arched. Sienna eyes screwed shut as waves of pure bliss overwhelmed him completely, sending his nerves singing to a high, white spurting out from his member, covering Gary's abdomen and chest. His legs refused to stop, or were unable to, riding out his orgasm and unknowingly clenching around Gary's erection.

The researcher's breathing became laboured, the unbearable tightness around his member, combined with both the sounds Ash was making, and the warm liquid on his chest, it was all too much. His hips shot up off the bed as Ash's thrust downwards, colliding with one another, Gary going as deep as he could.

With a strangled yell, Gary finally reached his peak, every muscle in his body tensing as he came, hot liquid gushing inside of Ash, filling him completely. His fingers dug against Ash's flesh with a force to bruise, indescribable sensations crashing through his body, almost identical to Ash's, his member twitching inside his lover as everything gradually calmed down, Ash's movements slowing into a stop, his forehead now pressed against Gary's chest.

Minutes passed in which neither teen could do any more than pant, their chests heaving and their throats dry. Not that they cared.

"Fuck .. " It was Gary who finally broke the silence, his head resting against the bed, and Ash collapsed on his chest. "That .. wow .. "

Ash made a quiet noise of agreement and lifted his head to look at Gary, who had yet to remove the blindfold. With a sudden urge to see those emerald eyes hidden beneath the plum material, Ash reached out, his arms weak, but determination fueling him. He hooked two fingers underneath the silk, he tugged it, his position making the action awkward to execute, but ultimately, it came off, slipping from his hand and dropping onto the bed.

Gary's eyes opened almost immediately, the emerald orbs unfocused and hazy for a few moments, blinking several times before managing to focus on the sienna ones before him, looking up at him.

"Yeah," Ash murmured in agreement, snuggling against Gary's chest as his own eyelids became heavy. "Yeah, it was."

Gary smirked tiredly, his arms encircling Ash in a weak embrace, holding him as close as he could as they both fought to bring their breathing back to normal. "Well," he panted, lightly this time, "I guess I've got my work cut out for me if hope to outdo you."

Sienna eyes swerved up to meet emerald, Ash's chin resting on Gary's chest as his lips curved into a coy smile. "Does that mean I get birthday sex?" He inquired suggestively.

Gary returned the look. "Perhaps. Depends on how good you are. Although," he gently lifted Ash by his hips, pulling out of the younger, then slumping back against the bed, "I wouldn't get your hopes up. I'm not wearing lingerie. That's your thing, apparently."

Ash rolled to the side, landing on the bed beside Gary and curling up to his side. "I wasn't expecting it," he admitted truthfully. "I knew you were more original than that."

Gary raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" He inquired, pulling the crumpled duvet over them both, more than ready for sleep. "Then what kind of stripper get up did you have in mind?"

Shrugging, Ash wrapped his arms around Gary, yawning loudly. "I don't know," he mused. "Though when you were travelling around with those girls, sometimes I wondered what you'd look like in a cheerleader's outfit."

His response was met with Gary's chuckling, and a hand running affectionately through his hair. "You adorable pervert," he cooed.

Ash looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "I'm serious! You waving pom-poms and wearing short skirt - just remember not to wear anything underneath."

Gary chuckles grew in volume, his eyes closing as they both settled down to sleep.

For a while, there was only silence, but just as Ash was on the brink of falling into familiar dreams of being a pokémon master, he heard Gary whisper, "I'll see what I can do about that, Ashy."

As Ash smiled, allowing sleep to take him, somewhere in the back of his mind, he idly wondered if Leaf was thinking the exact same thing.

xxx

* * *

**Author's Note:** I stayed up 'til six a.m. finishing this .. and it was totally worth it! Now that it's done, I'm off to write more fluffy ShiShi goodness. Something multi-chaptered, this time :D

But before that happens, I ask only this: if you like, may I ask you for a review? It's only fair, I stayed up all night typing this, surely you could spare two minutes to tap out some motivating words? :P


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